Kentucky Derby 2017: Always Dreaming set to turn Dreams into Reality?

This Saturday sees the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby and the most famous race in North America has its fans right across the World. 2017 has given us a very strong field and it’s tight at the top of the betting where less than one point separates the top two.

Front Runners

Winner of the Florida Derby Always Dreaming starts as the favourite here at 11/2 with bet365 and the Todd Pletcher trained horse comes here with two wins in its last two outings. It’s very tight at the top however with second favourite Classic Empire just behind at a price of 6/1 with 888Sport.

A winner of the Breeders’ Cup in 2016, Classic Empire has the pedigree to go on and claim the big prize and a follow up second place in the Arkansas Derby reveals why many bookmakers are offering the same price on this horse and on Always Dreaming.

The Mark Casse trained Classic Empire has won five races across the career and it’s a tough pick at the top between these two.

In Contention

There’s close betting behind these two with Irish War Cry coming in at 8/1 with 888Sport. The same price or lower is available for McCraken but elsewhere, this horse is quoted at best odds of 10/1 with William Hill.

Of those two, the interest is really based around the Ian Wilkes trained McCraken who hasn’t quite set the great standards of the market leaders, but whose recent results suggest that an Each Way bet is the smartest move for anyone undecided who is just looking to put their Parlay bet together.

McCraken has finished inside the places in each of his last five outings and included in that run, he has an impressive five wins. Punters feel that the Kentucky Derby will represent a significant step up for this horse but based on those figures, taking 10/1 and basing an Each Way bet around it could be a smart move.

Longer Shots

There is a lot of interest in Irap, mainly because this is the only horse to have beaten McCraken during that run of four wins from five outings. Irap is at 20/1 with a number of bookies including bet365 and 10Bet and based on that notable success, could be another option for your Each Way parlay.

Elsewhere, there has been some talk around horses such as Girvin at 16/1 with bet365 and Winner Sports, Thunder Snow at 16/1 with 888Sport and Gormley at 20/1 with Betway and 888Sport. All of those names could come into it as far as each way betting is concerned, but if you’re picking a winner, it literally looks like this is going to be a two horse race.

Of the names at the top of the field, it is so tough to split the main two of Always Dreaming and Classic Empire although there is some value in the latter horse and it has slightly more experience than the admittedly impressive favourite. It should, however, be tight if they both run to form.

The key for McCraken is the fact that he is running on his home track at Churchill Downs and that should be an advantage that could see him break into the money places again at the very least. It all goes off on Saturday for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby and we could be in for one of the most thrilling finishes ever.

Best Bets

• Classic Empire to win at 6/1 with 888Sport
• McCraken Each Way at 10/1 with William Hill
• Irap Each Way at 20/1 with bet365